Turbine.



No. 884,058. PATENTED APR. 7, 1908 G. W. WBLLMAN.

TURBINE.

T N APPLIOA I0 FILED MAY 14 1906 3 SHEETS SHBET 1 a WITNESSES: 5

% ,;Z@% I @ZZ PATENTED APR. 7, 1908. G. W. WELLMAN.

TURBINE APPLICATION FILED MAY 14,1906.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

Fig.5. Eb fjglidj \MTNESSES;

Fly-.15. d1 Fz' .zadj

INVENTOR.

fluwrflwm To all whom it may concern: 7

UNITED STATES PATENT ornron.

CALVIN W. WELLMAN, OF TOLEDO, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO HATTIE MAY WELLMAN, OFSOUTH BOARDMAN, MICHIGAN.

TURBINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 7, 1908.

Application filed May 14, 1906. Serial No. 316,725.

Be it known that I, CALVIN W. WELLMAN, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of Toledo, in the county of Lucas and State of Ohio, haveinvented a certain new and Improved Turbine; and I do hereby declare thefollowing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention,such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains tomake and use the same,'ref erence, being had to the accompanyingdrawing's, and to the figures and letters of reference marked thereon,which form a part of this specification. p

My invention relates to turbines adapted to be operated by steam, gases,water or other fluid under pressure.

The primary object of my invention is to so construct and arrange theblades of the rotary and stationary parts of the turbine relative toeach other as to materially increase the power efiiciency of a unit witha minimum consum tion of fuel, .thus enhancin its commercia value.

t is also the object of my invention to rovide a turbine of cheap,simple'and durable construction which may be operated as economicallyunder a low pressure as under a high pressure proportional to the powergenerated, and which will require less steam or o crating 'it than hasheretofore been possi is in turbines of like horse ower.

The invention is fully describe in the following specification, andillustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which,-

Figure 1 is a front elevation of the turbine embodying my invention,with a portion thereof shownin central vertical cross-section. Fig. 2 isa cross section of a portion of the housing and inclosed rotary-head orwheel, showing the relative ositions of the rows of fixed and movable bades. Fig. 3 is a circular section taken on the dotted line so: in Fig.2 showing the spacing of blades of thesame rows and the relativepositions of the rows of fixed blades to the rows of movspacing memberof the crescent type provided with my improved locking means- Fig. 7 isa vertical cross-section of a portion of a modified form of my turbine.equipped with a single row each of fixed and. movable casing or housingof my turbine, which is provided at its sides with suitable bearings 2for receiving the shaft 3 carrying the rotary-.

head or wheel 4 within the housing. This housing is mounted on asuitable base 5, and for the purpose of convenience of assembling andconstruction comprises the circumferential or ring portion 6, whichencircles the circumference of the rotary-head or wheel 4, and the sideportions 7 7, which fit to and are securely bolted or otherwise suitablysecured to the sides of the ring 6, formin tight joints therewith. Thering 6 is forms with an annular steam chest or chamber 8 extendingentirely therearound, which receives its su ply of steam or otheractuating fluid throug an opening 9 therein, having proper communicationwith a source of supply, and has its discharge-to the interior of thehousing and against the periphery oftherotary-head orv wheel 4 througheither an annular slot or a plurality of openings 10 provided throughthe-inner wall of the ring casing. The ex haust from the interior of thehousing takes place through the conduits 11 11 formed in the lowerportions of the sides 7, which conduits have their discharge into thehollow base 5, which communicates through the opening 5 in its bottomwith an exhaust pipe ,(not shown). a

The rotary-head or turbine wheel 4 has its rim portion broadened to awidth suitable to accommodate the number of rows of blades desired to beemployed thereon and supported from its ,hub by the centrally disposeddisk portion 4", which forms a dividing artition within the housing. Ido not ms to. restrict myself to this form-of head as any suitableconstruction may be employed. Ex-

' tending around the circumference of the ronary-head 4 on eithers'ideof its center are one or more rows of blades 12, which alternate withrows of fixed blades 13 secured to the inner circumference of thehousing 1 at the sides of the steam discharge slot or openings 10therein, as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3.

The blades 12 and 13, which form the pri,

mary features of my invention, are preferably constructed of plain orrolled 'sheet metal stamped in the form of a Latin cross, or in otherwords with oblong body portions having one or two cars 12 and 13 respectively, projecting laterally therefrom adjacent their bases, as shown.These blades are secured within annular grooves 14 provided less widththan the blades, as shown in Fig.

3. In positioning the blades within their respective grooves one isplaced therein so that its width stands approximately longitudinallytherewith and is then turned as much as the widthof the groove willpermit so that it stands obliquely to the groove and its ears pro ectwithin the side grooves 15 and pre vent an outward withdrawal of theblade.

A. spacing member 16, which is of similar shape and-construction to theblades 12 and 13 except that its body portionis shortened to provide anopening or passageway between the exposed ends of the spaced blades, isthen dropped within'the groove and turned into flush position with theside of-theblade A previously set with its ears 16 locking in thegrooves 15 in like manner to those of said. blade. A second blade is nowset within the groove close abutment with the spacing member, and thisis repeated until the groove has been filled, thus filling each. roovewith a series of alternately positione blades and spacing members whichclosely abut each other.

When the setting of a row of'blades is started the first is preventedfrom rearward displacement by a plug or screw, which 'is secured within.the groove in abutment with the rear of such blade, as shown at 17 inFig. 3. The associated rows of fixed and movable blades are reverselypositioned or set in intersecting planes, as shown in Fi .3, to causethe steam or other pressure fluid which is driven. between the blades 13to have direct impingement with the faces of the movable blades 12 andhave their inner or contiguous edges disposed in close relation. Tofacilitate and enhance theimpinging'force of the jets of steam or otherfluid against the faces of the movable blades, these blades have theirinner edges curved slightly rearwardly, as shown at 12 in Fig. 4, toform elongated cups or pockets therein which aline with and receive thefull force of the pressure -fluid. This method of securing the,

blades to their parts is not confined to the use of What may be termedflat blades,

other blades of the bucket type. A crescent blade and its spacing memberadapted for this manner of-fastening are shown. in Figs. and 6.

Further modifications of the blades in which, the spacing members areillustrated as being formed integral therewith'are shown in Figs. 9 to17, inclusive, some being stamped and others rolled or drop forged. InFigs. to 16 the ears of the blades are shown as be ing thickened indifferent ways to cause th major portions of the blades to be properly"spaced apart, while in Figs'..17 and 18 the ex-- posed orprojectingportions of the blade.v

are shown as being of less thickness than portions thereof which extendwithin the re ceiving grooves. The periphery of the rotary-header whee.

4 is annularly stepped on each side of its cen;

ter, as shown at 18 in Fig. 2, to slightly re duce its diameteroutwardly from its centr or the point ofentran'ce ,of the cperatina;fluid for each row of blades thereon, so as permit a multiple expansionof the fluid it passes through the several rows of blades.

The blades 12 and 13 of each row have their exposed ortions lengthenedin the same pro portion t at the surface of the rotary-head'is reduced,thus increasing the fluid impmgirs surface of the blades toaccommodatethe fluid expansion. The horsepower of the tun bine may be increased ordiminished by creasing or diminishing the space between the periphery ofthe wheel 4 and the inn-1 circumference of the housing 1 and corr-z-rsondingly increasing the lengths of b ades 12 and 13.

The communicating slot or.openings 1. between the chamber and interiorof housing'l causes the operating fluid to strait" the first row ofblades on either side of sun slot or openings at boiler or initialpressuriand after it has spent its force on the sever-J rows of-bladesit is discharged around ti: rim of the rotary-head or wheel 4 and thechambers formed within the housin eitherside of the disk portion a'whenw passes through the exhaust conduits 11 and finally out throughthe exhaust open? 5 in the base5.

In order to prevent the escape of any the exhaust products through thesh:-

-bearings of the housing, I provide the draft is now created through theopenings 7 b in the sides of the housing, which are provided for thatpur ose, and between the contiguous faces of t e flanges 4 and 7* due tothe positioning in each of .such spaces of an annular row of blades 19,which are dis-,

posed to act as fan blades having an inward suction. These blades may besecuredto the flange 4 in the same'manner as above described for thebladeslZ and 13, or inany other suitable manner, and be of anysuitableconstruction. g

In Figs. 7 and 8, which illustrate a modification of the construction ofmy turbine and the relative manner of ositioning the fixed and movableblades therein, a indicates the housing, bthe annular chamber encirclingthe same, which is provided with the intake opening 0 and is separatedfrom the interior of the housing by the two art annular rin d, and e therotaryhea or wheel, which is carried by the shaft f and '.fOII1'1Cl intwo separable sections, which are secured together'by bolts g; In thisconstruction the fixed blades h and movable blades i, which are ofsimilar construction .to the blades 12 and 13, are mounted in directsuperimposed relation so that the blades revolve with their outer orcurved edges i in contiguous position to the inner edges of the fixedblades h. These! blades are secured between the contiguous edges of therin parts at and those of the rims of the two w heel parts e in the sameor a similar manner to that employed for securing the blades 12 and 13to their parts, the ears 9' thereof being locked within the slots Z inthe sides of said ring and wheel parts, as shown. Either separate orintegral spacing members m are provided between the securing edges ofthe blades. The operating fluid, after acting on the blades, passeswithin the rotary-head or wheel 6, thence through the openings 6 in saidwheel and finally has its discharge from the housing a through asuitable exhaust-opening therein (not shown).

With the construction and arrangement.

of blades shown and described it is found in .actual practice that threeor four rows, or'

Parson type of turbine, which is presumably due to the dividing of theoperating fluid .into a multiplicity of jets at boiler or initialpressure as soon as it strikes the first or inner rows of fixedblades1-3 and causing these.

jets to impinge directly upon the curved or cup-like portions 12 ofthemovable blades 12. The broadened diagonal surfaces leading from thecups 12 of the blades 12 also add materially to' the power efficiency ofthe turbine. It will be apparent that the blades of each pair of rowspresent somewhat enlarged operating surfaces over those of the precedingrows to allow for .the expansion of the fluid, and also that the shaftbearings are free from stuffing due'to the directing of' viousmodifications will occur to'a person skilled in the art.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as. new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is,- V

1. The combination with a blade receiving part of a turbine having aportion shaped to receive and interlock with a blade, of a plurality ofblades each shaped to be insertedv within said blade-receiving portionin one position relative thereto and to interlock therewith when turnedinto diagonal. relation thereto, said blades when positioned allstanding successively in the same relative order to the turbine part andtheir fluid contacting surfaces spaced from each other.

2. The combination with a bladereceiving part of a turbine havin aportion shaped to I receive and interlock with a blade, and a pluralityof'blades each shaped to be inserted within said blade-receiving portionin one position relative thereto and to interlock there with to preventWithdrawal when turned into diagonal relation thereto, and a spacingmember inserted between the base portions of eachv two blades, saidmembers bein of like construction tothe blades and adapts to interlockwith the tufbine part in substantially the same manner. 7

3. 1 The combination with the housing and rotary-head of a turbine, of.a row of. blades secured to each in contiguous position, the. fixedblades being substantially flat in crosssection and placed in contiguousconsecutive order whereby to divide the operating fluid into amultiplicity'of jets, and the movable blades being positioned inintersecting planes with the fixe blades and having their major portionssubstantiallyflat in cross-sectlon and one of their edges formed withlips to re' ceive'the direct thrust of the fluid jets.

4; The combination with thehousing and rotary-head ofa turbine, ofannular flanges formed on the head and housing concentrically with thehead bearing and in contigu- I ous position, and means carried by theflange of t b'etweenthe contiguous edges of the flanges. 5.Thed111b1nati0n with the housing and e. head for creating a centrifugaldraft eatime.

rotary-head having flanges disposed in con+ signed my name to thisspecification in the tiguous position concentric wlth the head presenceof two subscribing Witnesses. bearing, of fan blades positioned on thehead flange Within the space between the flanges CALVIN WEILMAN 5 forpreventing an escape of fluid there- Witnesses:

through when the head is in motion. C. W. OWEN,

In testimony whereof I have hereunto HAZEL B. H1ETT.

